System and method for providing compressed air from an engine

ABSTRACT

A system for directing compressed air from an internal combustion engine that uses a piston cylinder of the internal combustion engine. The piston cylinder compresses the air and sends the air out of the piston cylinder through a port to a storage tank. A valve is located between the piston cylinder and the storage tank to control the flow from the piston cylinder to the storage tank. The stored air may be directed to and used in different components/systems within a vehicle, including the secondary air system.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a system and method of compressing and storing air, and more particularly to a system and method of storing compressed air for use during a cold start of a vehicle to reduce the vehicle's emissions.

BACKGROUND

Vehicles today employ various methods to reduce undesirable components of emissions. A catalytic converter is one component found in most vehicles that assists in reducing undesirable components found in vehicle emissions. One of the biggest shortcomings of the catalytic converter, however, is that it generally provides its highest efficiency at fairly high temperatures. This does not present a problem during normal operation of a vehicle because the heat generated by the vehicle's engine heats the catalytic converter. During a cold start of a vehicle, however, the engine is not able to heat the catalytic converter for a short period. During this short period, the catalytic converter does not operate at a desirable efficiency to reduce undesirable components in the vehicle's exhaust. It is therefore desirable to improve the operation of the catalytic converter.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a system for supplying compressed air from a vehicle internal combustion engine to another component of the vehicle. The system includes and uses a piston cylinder of the internal combustion engine to compress air. The system further includes a tank for storing the compressed air and a valve coupled between the piston cylinder and the tank. The valve controls the flow of the compressed air from the piston cylinder to the tank.

The piston cylinder may include a piston within an internal chamber. The piston is used to compress air within the internal chamber. A port in the piston cylinder couples the internal chamber to the valve. The valve may stop the flow of the compressed air between the piston cylinder and the tank. Further, the system may supply the compressed air in the tank to an apparatus that is part of a vehicle such as an exhaust manifold. Additionally, the tank may be a sealed frame rail.

The system may also include and use a second piston cylinder of the internal combustion engine for compressing additional air and a second valve for controlling the flow of the additional compressed air from the second piston cylinder to the tank.

The present disclosure also provides a method for supplying compressed air from an internal combustion engine. The method includes compressing air within a piston cylinder of the internal combustion engine and piping the compressed air from the piston cylinder through a valve to a tank. The valve controls the flow of the compressed air from the piston cylinder to the tank and the compressed air is stored in the tank.

The step of compressing air within the piston cylinder may further include compressing air within an internal chamber of the piston cylinder using a piston and piping the compressed air out of the internal chamber through a port in the piston cylinder. Further, the valve may stop the flow of the compressed air between the piston cylinder and the tank. Additionally, the compressed air may be piped from the tank to an apparatus that is part of a vehicle such as an exhaust manifold. In some circumstances, the tank is a sealed frame rail.

The method may also include compressing additional air within a second piston cylinder of the internal combustion engine and piping the additional compressed air from the second piston cylinder through a second valve to the tank.

The method may include supplying compressed air from the tank to one or more components/systems of a vehicle. For instance, in one exemplary embodiment, the compressed air from the tank may be directed to a catalytic converter for a vehicle cold start condition to quickly heat the catalytic converter for improved catalytic converter operation. In another embodiment, the compressed air from the tank may be directed to a portion of secondary air system with or without an air pump in that air system. Of course in other embodiments, the compressed air can be supplied to other vehicle components/systems such as air suspension systems and air-powered shutters.

Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, drawings and claims provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description, including disclosed embodiments and drawings, are merely exemplary in nature, intended for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, its application, or use. Thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system for supplying compressed air according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 illustrates a system for supplying compressed air in relation to the engine of a vehicle according to another embodiment; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a system for supplying compressed air in relation to the engine of a vehicle according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary air compression system 100, which includes tank 110, valve 120, and piston cylinder 130. Tank 110 is coupled to valve 120 by piping 114. Valve 120 is coupled to piston cylinder 130 by piping 122. Piston cylinder 130 includes port 132, internal chamber 134, piston 136, and piston valve 138. Port 132 is an opening that extends from outside piston cylinder 130 into internal chamber 134. Piping 122 is connected to port 132. Piston 136 is located inside internal chamber 134. Piston valve 138 allows for the passage of air into internal chamber 134.

Tank 110 holds and stores compressed air from cylinder 130. Tank 110 may be a capsule specifically designed to store compressed air, or it may be a sheet metal frame rail that has been sealed to enable it to store compressed air. It should be understood that tank 110 may be any enclosure that is sufficiently sealed to allow it to store compressed air.

Valve 120 controls the flow of compressed air by operating in an open or closed position. In the open position, compressed air is allowed to flow through valve 120. In the closed position, compressed air is not allowed to flow through valve 120. Valve 120 may also operate in a variety of positions between the open and closed position to allow a varying amount of compressed air to pass through valve 120.

An example of piston cylinder 130 compressing air is described with respect to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates system 100 with piston cylinder 130 as part of internal combustion engine 270 of a vehicle. During normal operation of the vehicle, fuel and air are injected into internal chamber 134 of piston cylinder 130 through piston valve 138. The air and fuel are compressed and combusted to drive piston 136, thereby rotating a crankshaft of engine 270. During a period when the vehicle is decelerating, however, no fuel is injected into piston cylinder 130.

During this period of deceleration, the crankshaft of engine 270 continues to rotate and move piston 136 within internal chamber 134. Further, piston valve 138 continues to open and close allowing air to enter internal chamber 134. After air enters internal chamber 134, the movement of piston 136 compresses the air and the compressed air flows out of internal chamber 134 through port 132. If valve 120 is open, the compressed air flows into tank 110 and is stored therein. In this manner, piston cylinder 130 compresses air and the compressed air is stored in tank 110.

The compressed air stored in tank 110 may be directed to and used in a variety of different systems within the vehicle. FIG. 2 illustrates tank 110 coupled to secondary air system 250 by piping 212. During a cold start of engine 270, compressed air in tank 110 is directed to secondary air system 250 through piping 212. Secondary air system 250 may use the compressed air to rapidly heat the vehicle's catalytic converter. In this embodiment, tank 110 is able to store approximately 1.5 to 2.5 cubic feet of air. In another embodiment, the compressed air in tank 110 may be used with other systems or apparatuses in the vehicle. For example, the compressed air may be used for an air suspension system.

FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary air compression system 300 in accordance with another disclosed embodiment. System 300 includes all of the components of system 100, with piston cylinder 130 housed within internal combustion engine 370. System 300 further includes second piston cylinder 330 and second valve 320. Second piston cylinder 330 includes second port 332, second internal chamber 334, second piston 336, and second piston valve 338.

Second valve 320 is coupled to tank 110 by piping 314 and to second port 332 of second piston cylinder 330 by piping 322. Second valve 320 and second piston cylinder 330 operate similarly to valve 120 and piston cylinder 130, respectively. FIG. 3 further illustrates tank 110 coupled to vehicle system 350 by piping 312. Vehicle system 350 may be any system in the vehicle that would utilize compressed air.

System 300 allows compressed air to be stored more quickly in tank 110. It should be understood that every piston cylinder or any number of piston cylinders in an engine may supply compressed air to tank 110 or any number of tanks similar to tank 110. 

1. A system for directing compressed air comprising: a piston cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the piston cylinder for compressing air; a tank for storing the compressed air; and a valve coupled between the piston cylinder and the tank, the valve controlling a flow of the compressed air from the piston cylinder to the tank.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the piston cylinder further comprises: a piston within an internal chamber, the piston compressing air within the internal chamber; and a port in the piston cylinder that couples the internal chamber to the valve.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein in a closed position the valve stops the flow of the compressed air from the piston cylinder to the tank.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the tank supplies the compressed air to an apparatus that is part of a vehicle.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is a secondary air system.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tank is a sealed frame rail.
 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second piston cylinder of the internal combustion engine, the second piston cylinder for compressing secondary air; and a second valve for controlling a secondary flow of the secondary compressed air from the second piston cylinder to the tank.
 8. A method for supplying compressed air comprising: compressing air within a piston cylinder of an internal combustion engine; directing the compressed air from the piston cylinder through a valve to a tank, the valve controlling a flow of the compressed air from the piston cylinder to the tank; and storing the compressed air in the tank.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of compressing air within the piston cylinder further comprises: compressing air within an internal chamber of the piston cylinder using a piston; and piping the compressed air out of the internal chamber through a port in the piston cylinder.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein in a closed position the valve stops the flow of the compressed air from the piston cylinder to the tank.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising piping the compressed air from the tank to an apparatus that is part of vehicle.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a secondary air system.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the tank is a sealed frame rail.
 14. The method of claim 8, further comprising compressing secondary air within a second piston cylinder of the internal combustion engine; and piping the secondary compressed air from the second piston cylinder through a second valve to the tank. 